The Galapagos Series – Floreana Island

Floreana Island in one of the southern islands two hours away from Santa Cruz.  We booked a day trip to explore the island and the surrounding waters.  Our first stop was up to the hinterlands.  We hopped on to the roof of our tour bus (where the cool kids hang) for the quick drive up the hillside.

We were dropped off at the start of a trail paved with jagged rocks, perfect for the slippery thongs Marc and I were wearing.  We weren’t quite sure what to expect as we followed the path but were pleasantly greeted by two giant tortoises having sex!  Apparently it can last anywhere from 45 minutes to four hours.  And considering the pace and the obstacles the male tortoise literally has to get over, it’s not really that surprising.

After we had watched the tortoises doing it for long enough we continued up the path to some pirate caves and some other stuff that is nowhere near as exciting as tortoises doing it.

This is when it decided to bucket down and Marc and I made the call to rid ourselves of our pesky footwear and take on the sharp piercing rocks.  Luckily there weren’t any serious injuries, just muddy shoes and a few grazes.

We headed back to the boat and were greeted by a sea lion and her pup lounging on the wharf.  Super cute!

Our next stop was a snorkeling site where we saw tropical fish, Galapagos penguins and a sea lion.  The clarity of the water wasn't great so the average photos are even more average than usual and not really worth showing.

On the way back to Santa Cruz we were followed by a large pod of dolphins whom swam along with us for half an hour or so.  Definitely a Galapagos highlight!